Coffee Shop
by JoylessEuphoria
Summary: She moved away to college, and has been lonely ever since. She found comfort in a small coffee shop, untill a liquid disaster changed everything completely.
1. Chapter 1

Coffee Shop

Chapter 1.

JoylessEuphoria

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but this story.

She watched the raindrops hit the window next to her, and absently reached to touch the smooth cold glass. She signed and looked back at the coffee cup in her hands. Lifting the cup to her lips, she took a slow sip and let the brown liquid linger in her mouth for a few second, savoring the taste.

Another lonely day, she though, as she tucked in a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear.

Her blue eyes held a look of sadness.

She looked around the small coffee shop she had been sitting in for an hour or so. There were people everywhere. College students on laptops, couples sitting in tables for two, or groups of friends cuddled in the corners talking about whatever nonsense went on that day. Everyone seemed happy, and in good company. But that day, that entire week, Serena had been alone.

Much to her friends surprise, she had been accepted to a college in a different town. Sure, it was only a few hours or so away from home, a quick roadtrip, but she couldn't help but feel completely alone. She had a sever case of homesickness, and she knew it.

Even though she felt as if she was on borderline depression, Serena knew she couldn't ignore this opportunity. Her friends had been so happy for her.

"Wow Serena, you got accepted into a college? Are you sure it's not a rejection letter..." Her friend has asked her skeptically.

"Raye! I'm sure it isn't. Read it for yourself if you want to!"

The raven haired girl peered over her friends shoulder to read the letter in the blonde's hands.

"Wow. I guess you weren't kidding.."

"Raye, stop being so hard on her. Serena I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks Amy. But I don't know.. I'll be so far away from all of you. I'm not sure I can do it"

The girls looked at Serena with a worried expression on their faces. The blond looked so sad, and yet so happy at the same time.

"Hey girl, you know you're only a car trip away! We can all go visit you and you can come back home whenever you want!"

"Mina's right! You know you can always stay at my place if you need to, Serena!"

"Yeah Serena, you can stay with Lita if you ever come visit. And you know the temple always has extra rooms for you!"

"Thanks guys" she had said to them, with tears in her eyes.

That had been so long ago. _Maybe I should call them... Catch up._ _I'm sure they'd be happy to hear from me. Right? _She sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. She reached over the chair next to her, and grabbed her purse. It was a nice Louis Vuitton, that was actually worth quite a bit of money. Serena had been lucky enough to spot it at a thrift store in her new town, and quickly purchased it for a reasonable priced after finding out it was authentic. Pulling on the gold colored zipper, she slipped her hand inside and went on a mental hunt for her cell phone. Once she found it, she checked the time. _It's 3:00pm already? _Deciding she had been there long enough, she grabbed her blue pea coat that had been resting on the back of her chair and put it on. The wool was nice and warm, and the hood was big enough to help her hide from the rain pouring outside. Her eyes wondered back out the window, and she stared at the rain drops hitting the glass yet again. _Hm. I love the rain... It's so peaceful. _

Just as she was turning around to leave, she hadn't even taken a single step when she had already felt herself fully bumping into another person. The strangers coffee went flying straight towards her and all that could be heard in the small coffee shop were the screams of horror that came from the small blond after being scalded with their medium sized serving of caffeinated goodness.

Author's Note or some ridiculousness like that:

This is my first attempt at ever writing anything besides a short drabble of some sort.

Review? I'd like to know if this even sounds remotely interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Coffee Shop

JoylessEuphoria

Chapter 2

"I am SO sorry!" She screamed out, despite the fact that she was probably going to have pink skin for quite some time due to the high temperature of the strangers beverage.

"Are you okay?!" He too screamed out, worriedly.

He looked down at the poor girl he had assaulted with his ridiculously hot coffee, and fought hard with himself to not stand there like a complete idiot and stare at her. She was significantly shorter than he was, with bright blue eyes and golden colored hair. Her small figure was contained in a thick blue coat, and a rather expensive looking purse clung from her elbow after sliding off her shoulder due to their crash. Looking back at her worried expression, he noticed just how beautiful her eyes were.

He was quite the regular customer at the small coffee shop, yet he had never seen her there before.

_She's gorgeous_ he thought to himself.

"I'm fine..."

"What?"

"You asked me if I was okay, and I'm fine, really. I'm terribly sorry about your coffee! You'd think I'd leave my clumsiness at home right? Ugh. I should have watched where I was going. It seems like old habits never die... Oh jeez, I'm really, really sorry. I'll buy you another coffee! What were you drinking?" The sentence had left her almost breathless but she managed to not start panting in front of this stranger. _Why am I such a klutz!? Why why why why why..._

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a strong hand hold hers and gently begin to wipe away the brown liquid with a handkerchief.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I should have watched where I was going too." He looked up from the small hand he was cleaning, and met her eyes. "I guess we were both being careless, huh?" He gave her a small smile and watched as a tiny tint of pink reached her cheeks. Her blush was barely there, but he had noticed. "I suppose..." She managed to whisper out. Serena took this moment to notice just who she had bumped into. Compared to her, he was huge. He was about 6'2" she guessed, lean, yet well built. His pitch black hair had nearly touched hers as he bent down to take care of her hand. She looked back at his sapphire eyes and she could've sworn their faces were getting closer... and closer...

"Hey Dare, quit trying to kill my customers, would ya?" Snapping out of her daydream and realizing that in reality he had been no where near her face, she looked around for the unfamiliar voice. He saw another guy with sandy blond hair standing next to this 'Dare' person. _Hm. I wonder what that's short for... Wasn't I leaving? I wish I could just buy this guy some coffee and leave._ _This is embarrassing..._

"Are you okay, miss?" The blond man asked her cautiously. The last thing Andrew needed was a lawsuit against his coffee shop. He had heard something on the news about some lady suing Mc Donalds because she had burned herself with their coffee. If something like that happened to him, he'd never hear the end of it. "I'm fine! It's okay, really. It was just coffee... I'm sorry, I really have to get going." She managed to say while taking her hand back. This had been awkward enough, and it was time to leave. "Again, I'm terribly sorry! Um.. If I run into you again, coffee's on me! Really!" She yelled back as she began to walk away. A part of her regretted not staying a while longer to get to know the person she had run into quite literally, but she was beyond embarrassed and knew she probably resembled a tomato by now.

Darien stood there for a while with the handkerchief still in his hand. He didn't know what to say. He certainly didn't want her to leave before formally introducing himself! Gorgeous blond girls like her didn't crash into him and his beverage of choice every day.

"Wait!" He finally yelled out. But it was too late. She was out the door, and the two men were left wondering who the gorgeous blond stranger had been.


	3. Chapter 3

**Coffee Shop**

**Joyless Euphoria**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

He sat there for a good hour, mentally going over the glorious thing that had just happened. The magnificent occurrence. The wondrous happening that had just taken place in his life. _His_ life. His boring, lazy, single life. He couldn't just forget this and move on. No, no. He had to figure out just who this gorgeous… no, _beautiful_ girl was. He smiled a bit, remembering the adorable blush that had crept up her cheeks as he tried to wipe away the lingering coffee on her small and delicate hands. He groaned out loud and brought his hand to his face. _New goal, Darien Shields._ He thought to himself. _Run into her again. Soon. …Hopefully without a dangerous beverage next time._

"Hey man, you want another cappuccino?" Snapping out of his thoughts, he looked over at his friend with a blank expression. "Huh?" was all he managed to gracefully spit out.

The laughter that suddenly erupted from his friend was what brought him back to his senses. "Oh jeez. You have it bad…Here. Take the cappuccino, it's on the house"

Darien looked down at the heavenly brown liquid, and grinned at his mug. A long sigh escaped his lips and he looked over at his friend who was cleaning the counter of the small coffee shop. "She was something, wasn't she?" he asked the blond haired man.

Andrew looked over at his starry eyed friend and smiled. It was nice to see Darien in a good mood for a change. Not that his dark haired friend was a bitter person or anything, he was just a bit too serious for someone his age and a tad bit reserved. He needed something, or in this case _someone,_ to bring a tiny spark into his life. "Yeah, she was pretty cute. Too bad you didn't catch her name… I wonder if she's new in town? I've never seen her here before." Just as he finished his sentence, a roar of thunder was heard outside and the rain began to fall heavier. The night sky seemed to get darker, and the cold was suddenly fiercer. Both men looked out the window, silently wishing the blond beauty had some sort of transportation.

* * *

_

* * *

Cold cold cold cold cold cold cold… Damn I need a car._ Was all she kept thinking. She pulled the blue pea coat closer to her body and tried to bury her head deeper into the hood attached to her coat. _I'm going to freeze. I'm going to freeze, and then I'll die. They'll find my body on the corner of this street. A Serenacube. Or Serenicle? They'll name me something. I'm gonna freeze to death. I can feel it. Great. And the last memory they'll have of me in this town is going to be running into some stranger and depriving him of his coffee. I probably won't even make it on the news. I'll be on those ridiculous magazines you see at the grocery store, next to the story about the sighting of Jesus over at a casino in Vegas. I wonder if he intended to create gambling?_ A shiver ran down her spine as the sound of thunder invaded all of her thoughts. She automatically squeezed her eyes shut and stood there for a moment, attempting to regain her courage and keep walking. The rain began to fall heavier as if to ridicule her. _I love Mother Nature. Really. You're a doll._ She kept walking along in the rain and began to see her apartment building in the shadows of the night. _Almost there_… Self pep-talks were the only thing that kept her sane and motivated in times like these. She quickened her pace, eager to get to her cozy apartment. Thanks to the dark brought on by the rain, she didn't see the massive puddle the size of the Pacific Ocean in front of her. Once she stepped in it, she was doomed. The water splashed up, surprising her, and soaked her jeans to the knee. Letting out a small shriek, she looked down and saw the damage. _Could this day get any better?_ Tears of frustration started to form in her eyes, but she shut her eyes yet again and fought them off with the tiniest bit of strength she had within left herself. _Come on, Serena. You can do this._ Opening her eyes, she kept walking.

* * *

About an hour later, Serena emerged from her bathroom, wrapped in a light pink towel. She had seen it at a department store somewhere in town, and she just had to have it. The towel was thick and fuzzy, providing the exact warm and plushyness needed when one has finished bathing. _That shower was exactly what I needed…_ She walked through the hall in her apartment and opened the door to her bedroom, shutting it behind her. She made her way to her bed, and let herself fall on it. Her blond hair that went on for miles, lay wet beneath her. _My blanket is going to get wet… _But she didn't care. She was home, warm, and away from anyone or anything that would cause further embarrassment. _How am I ever going to go back to that coffee shop? I mean, I know the incident wasn't even that big of a deal… but what do I do next time I see this 'Dare' person? Argh. WHAT is that short for?! _She closed her eyes for a bit. _Dare…ell? Darryl? No. That's ridiculous. Daren? Maybe. _Sighing, she got up from her bed and retrieved the light pink satin pajamas that were hidden within the depths of her pillows. Finding them, she set them aside on her bed and removed the towel from her body and tossed it over to the chair in her room. Goosebumps covered her flesh as she hurriedly tried to change. Running over to her dresser, she found a pair of panties and a matching bra and quickly put them on. She sat on her bed and slid the pajama pants through her left leg, and then the right. The cool material send shivers through her again. _Why is it so cold? Ugh._ Just as she was putting on her pajama shirt, a long yawn escaped her lips. _Sleepy time for me. I can worry about my pathetic self later._ Getting up from her bed again, she pulled back the covers and arranged her pillows to her liking at the top of the bed. Walking over to the light switched, she flicked it off and retreated back to the bed that promised her sleep, warm, and no ridicule whatsoever. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Coffee Shop**

**Chapter 4**

**Joyless Euphoria**

* * *

Waking up had never been harder, but she managed to face the slumber-monster in battle and came out victorious. Sitting up-right in her bed with her blankets bunched up at her feet, she looked out her window to the city below. _This is your life now Serena _she told herself. _You can't let silly things like what happened yesterday get to you. So what if you moved away? You can make new friends here too. You can do this. _With her chin held high, she faced her bedroom mirror and smiled at herself.Getting up from her bed, with her new-found courage, she made her way towards the bathroom to get herself ready for whatever the afternoon brought her.

On another side of town, in a different apartment complex and a separate bathroom all together, Darien Shields faced the reflection in his bathroom mirror. Looking at his sleepy face, he stared himself straight in the eye. "Saturday morning." He said to himself. "What are you going to do today?" Running a hand through his silky black locks, he noticed the texture was a bit _too_ silky, and decided to take a quick shower before doing anything else.

Ten minutes later or so, he walked out of his steamy bathroom and into his spacious bedroom wearing nothing but a black towel around his small waist. Walking in front of his closet, he opened up the wooden doors and stared at his small wardrobe. Picking out a black turtle neck and grey slacks, he began to change. Once he was fully clothed, he walked over to his dresser and picked out a pair of black socks. _I need to pick a new favorite color._ Walking to the spot where he had left his shoes, he quickly slipped them off and grabbed his keys and wallet from his nightstand. _But I like black._ He looked at his reflection once more. _It makes me look classy._ Taking another look at himself in the mirror, he sighed and looked away with one last thought.

_I'm such a moron._

* * *

Choosing a short brown skirt, thick black leggings, a pair of brown boots and a warm off-white sweater, she was ready to face her day. Grabbing her purse and walking towards the door, reality suddenly hit her in the face and she stopped dead in her tracks. _Where am I going?_ It hadn't occurred to her that she didn't any plans. _I'm not in the mood for coffee…_ She blushed at the memory of the day before. _Although I wouldn't mind running into that guy again. _She had finally admitted to herself that she found the stranger attractive. Sighing and staring at the door in front of her, she finally forced her hand to the doorknob and made herself twist it. Walking outside, and locking the door behind her, she decided to go to the cute little bookstore she had spotted a few days before.

* * *

_ Stray Shopping Carts? I wonder what it's about. _Grabbing the small book, he began to flip through its crisp white pages. Deciding it was a dud, he placed it back on the shelf. Picking out another hardback and whipping the dust off the cover, he read the title. _Absurdistan? Sounds absurd. Hurr hurr… _Getting up from his crouched position, he made his way to the other isle of books. That's where he saw her.

At the end of the isle was a small table. The most magnificent small table he had ever seen. She sat there, legs crossed, and her mile long golden hair lay straight behind her small figure, nearly touching the floor behind the chair she was sitting on. Her elbow resting on the table, and her chin placed lightly in the palm of her hand. Her other hand was holding on to a small paperback book that, according to her focused facial expression, was apparently very interesting. _Book, you jerk. I envy you._ Realizing he was staring, he quickly hid behind a shelf of books. He began to think up of a way to approach her. Taking a deep breath, he came up with the simplest way possible to say hello to the beautiful girl sitting only a few feet away from him.

* * *

Although the book in her hand was ridiculously interesting, and probably the cutest romance novel she had read in quite some time, and despite the fact that she was getting completely sucked into the story, she couldn't help but feel like someone was staring at her. _Oh get a grip, Serena. _Dismissing her previous thoughts, she continued reading her novel. Just as Tommy and Jessica were about to share their precious first kiss, filled with love and passion, she saw someone in the corner of her eye approach her table. Looking up from the paperback, she stared into the strangers eyes and lightly gasped, a bit shocked to see someone staring right back at her.

"Is this seat taken?" He gave her a charming smile, and she couldn't help but smile back. "Not at all." Putting her book down, she gave him her full attention. "Sorry to be so forward, but I couldn't help but notice how unbelievably gorgeous you are." He said with a cocky grin.

"What?" She was shocked. No one had ever been this forward with her before. Before she couldn't even think, he was starting to speak again. "I was wondering…" he began. "If you're not doing anything, you could maybe accompany me to my place? I'm sure we could have a smashing time." Her eyes widened, and she reached up to place a long strand of her hair behind her ear. "Ummm…" She didn't know what to do. She was stuck in her seat with a complete stranger asking her to go to his apartment. _What the crap??_

She saw him get and walk next to her attempting to reach for her arm. Jerking it away, she looked up at his face again. "Come on, darling. There's no time like the present." Grabbing her arm, he began to pull her away. Panic soared through her as she was getting pulled out of he seat. _This cannot be happening. I'm inside a book store for crying out loud!! Is it the skirt? Do I look like a hooker? Oh jeez._ Finally finding her voice, she looked at him in the eyes and began to yell at him.

"I am NOT going anywhere with you! Let go! I don't even know you!" She began to glare at him, despite the fact that she was scared. She tried to jerk her arm away from his hand, but his grip was too hard. _I wish I were the one with the scalding hot coffee right now. I'd splash it in his face._

"This way darling. Let's get going."

"NO!"

* * *

AN: Review? You know you want to!

I'll come for you in your sleep if you don't.

3


	5. Chapter 5

**Coffee Shop**

**Chapter 5**

**Joyless Euphoria**

* * *

Darien had been too preoccupied checking his breath and removing invisible pieces of lint from his black turtleneck to note the stranger that had taken his place in the seat next to his lovely blond. Peeking from behind the book shelf, he noticed him look at her and ask if he could sit down.

_Great. _He thought. _Someone beat you to her…_ He hid himself behind the book shelf yet again and let out a heavy sigh. _Now what am I going to do? I can't let this get in the way of me formally getting to know her. This might be my only chance! What were the odds of running into her again anyway? And in such a short time span?_

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he heard a woman yelling in the bookstore.

"I am NOT going anywhere with you! Let go! I don't even _know_ you!"

A stunned expression sheltered his handsome face as he realized he recognized that voice. Grabbing the bookshelf at his back with big hands, he pressed his body to it and looked backwards over at the table at the end of the isle through a row of books.

The man that had taken the seat next to her was suddenly at her side, grabbing her by the arm, and attempting to haul her out of the bookstore.

_Over my dead body_. His blood was boiling and he began to see red.

Emerging from his hideout, he began to walk with long strides towards the appalling scene.

* * *

"I _said_ LET. ME. GO!"

Serena was terrified. Just who did this man think he was? She was going to kick him in unmentionables as soon as she got the change.

"Oh come on sweets, you know you wan-" He had no time to finish his sentence, due to a pair of strong hands that had taken hold of his shoulders and dragged him back violently, forcing him to let go of the girl.

"I believe the young lady asked you to let her go." Darien said to the man in a low growl, and stared at him with a venomous glare.

Serena stood there, stunned. _It's him._ Noticing that the man had let her go, she quickly moved away from him, stumbling on her heels as she did.

The man turned to look at his attacker and began to point a finger at Darien's broad chest. "Listen here pal-"

"No. _You _listen here" Darien interrupted, and took hold of the man's hand in a powerful grip, nearly breaking the accusing finger. "She asked you repeatedly to leave her alone, and I really don't think you understood that. I'm sure we both can agree that it would be in your best interest to get the hell out of here and make sure that she, and I for that matter, never sees you ever again." Although the anger soaring through him was very immense. Darien somehow managed to keep his voice balanced and calm. The man began to wince in pain, but Darien held on for a bit longer, slowly tightening his grip. "Do I make myself clear?" The rumbling of his voice even made Serena tremble a bit, but she was glad he was defending her. Who knows what would've happened if he hadn't been there.

"..ye-yess" was all the man could stutter out. Satisfied, Darien released the man's hand and watched him flee from the store.

"Is he gone? I was just about to call the police!" An elderly balding man had suddenly emerged from a dusty and dark storage room. His wrinkled and aged face held a worried expression. Reaching into the small pocket located in front of his brown vest, he pulled out a tissue and blew his nose. Wiping it carefully, he looked up at the blond girl. "I'm terribly sorry I couldn't act sooner. At my age… Well, I'm a slug." The offered a small shy smile at Serena, and then at Darien.

"It's okay" Serena managed to reply in a trembling voice. "Everything is fine now. Thank you for caring"

"Young one's these days. They think they can get away with everything!" The bald man started to retreat to his storage room, leaving a trail of faint words behind him.

"Are you alright?"

Startled, Serena looked up at her savior. She instantly got lost in his cobalt eyes and let out a breath she wasn't even aware she had been holding.

"Here, sit down. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. That guy was insane." Offering her the chair she had been sitting on before that strange man had attempted to ruin her evening, Serena gladly took it and sat down. He gently pushed in the chair for her and caught a whiff of her perfume. _Vanilla? Strawberries._ Walking around the small table, he took a seat directly across from here.

Looking at her with alert eyes, he let out sigh."That guy was just creepy. Are you sure you're okay? You look a little pale. Can I get you anything?

"Thank you." She whispered out. Looking at him, she smiled and cleared her throat. "I'm glad you were around. I was too shocked to do anything. Thank you. Truly." She began to lightly blush, and a trembling hand reached up to her hair. Running her fingers through her silky locks, she let out a long sigh.

It seemed like sighing was becoming all the rage in Europe, you know.

He stared back at her porcelain face. Her eyes were hidden beneath long, dark lashes as she mindlessly played with her gorgeous straight blond hair. He noticed, yet again, that it was long enough to almost touch the ground. Looking at the golden tips that teased the floor beneath her, he caught sight of her slender shape. His eyes roamed her curvy hips and deliciously small waist. He looked at her long slender arm that helped her delicate hand reach up to her hair, and watched as her oh so tiny wrist swayed back and forth beneath her beautiful locks.

_I'm staring…_ deciding the awkward silence had gone on long enough, he finally made his eyes go back to her stunning face and attempted to speak.

She beat him to it.

"I know this might sound…awkward. Out of place, maybe. Probably even a little late, as well… But…" looking up to him she asked "I never caught your name. Mind throwing it my way?" She managed not to blush, _again_, at the end of her sentence. She needed to know his name! _Darren? Darryl? Goodness. I wonder which one it would be. He looks like a Derrick? Maybe?_

Glancing over at her, he noticed she had a bit of a… puzzled expression on her face.

Chuckling lightly, he turned his face a little to the side and cocked a thick black eyebrow high up on his forehead.

"Shields." He spoke, nodding his head in suave style. "Darien Shields" Seeing the cheesy grin he added to the end of his declaration, Serena couldn't contain the laughter that suddenly bubbled up inside of her. Lifting up a small hand to cover her giggles, she looked up to the roof and shook her head..

He quickly exchanged his cheesy grin for a sincere smile. The bell-like sound of her laughter made him feel warm inside. Basking in the feeling of it, he dreaded for it to end.

"And yours, miss?" he asked her, after her giggles had subsided. "I'm pretty certain I never had the pleasure of knowing your name." She couldn't stop herself from smiling before she looked at him yet again and said.

"Serena. My name is Serena."

* * *

_Serena_.

He couldn't stop saying her name over and over again in his head, as he laid his tall frame on his large bed. His hands were resting underneath his head, and he began to make shapes out of the popcorn ceiling in his bedroom. _Sounds like an angel… And what an angel she is._

After finally introducing themselves at the book store, Darien had offered to walk Serena home, confessing that he didn't want her walking such a far distance by herself.

During their walk, Darien had found out that Serena had recently moved here for college. She was thinking of becoming a psychology major, but was a bit undecided. She also told him in detail about the four close friends she had left back home, that she was also missing quite terribly. He was also blessed with the knowledge that she loved the color pink, had admitted to the fact that she could be incredibly lazy – although she had been working on that – and that she was in fact, terrified of thunderstorms.

In exchange, Darien shared that he too was still in school, but was studying at a different university and majoring in the medical field. His closest friend was Andrew, the one that had accused him attempting murder the other day at the coffee shop, and that besides that… he was very independent. His favorite color was black, he didn't have many friends, but he was indeed very infatuated with her. That last bit though, was only shared with himself.

The walk hadn't lasted as long as either of them secretly wished it would. Once they had reached her apartment complex, Serena had turned around to face Darien and thank him, once again, for being such a gentleman and for saving her earlier at the book store.

He had yearned to give her a hug goodbye. Fighting his cravings, he managed to settle for her gorgeous smile instead, and a promise of running into each other very soon.

Sighing again, he closed his eyes and though back to her angelic smile, her long silky locks of golden hair that seemed to sway with her every movement. He thought of her gorgeous blue eyes, and that cute little nose that adorned the center of her face. _Soon. _He thought to himself, letting out a long and loud sigh. _I'm going to have to run into you again very, very soon._

* * *

Andrew wasn't quite aware of just what had happened the day before, but he knew one thing:

Darien was in a good mood, and he demanded to know why.

"Refill?" He looked over at his dark haired friend that was sitting at the counter, mindlessly playing with a napkin and… smiling?

"…Daaaare" He singsonged, trying to get his friends attention.

"Hm?" was all Andrew heard in a reply.

Rolling his eyes, he refilled his friends black mug, and walked away. Returning the coffee pot to its natural habitat near the back of the counter, he decided to give his friend one more try to prove he was still alive, and mentally stable.

_Hmm… Quick Andrew, think up a way to get Darien's attention._ He took another look at his friend, and the poor mangled napkin that he was keeping captive. Realizing there was only one thing that lately captured Darien's attention, he silently crept up next to his friend and whispered into his ear "Hey Dare, isn't that the blond you almost killed the other day?"

He was surprised his friends head didn't pop off after turning around and scanning the coffee shop so quickly.

_Serena?_ Darien thought. _I don't see her. Where is she? _Scanning the area again, he began to hear an unfamiliar sound. Turning around, he glared at his best friend, realizing he had been lightly chuckling at his expense. Taking in a deep breath, he sad down on his stool and rested his forehead on the cool surface of the counter.

"Shut up"

Laughing again, Andrew asked his friend "I'm sorry, what was that? It was terribly muffled. You might want to get all that shame off your face and enunciate."

Lifting up his head from the 'shame' he had it so buried in, he looked over at his friend and glared at him again. "Shut. Up."

"Oh man. She's something isn't she? I feel like I already said that. Have you run into her again since then?"

Sitting up straight, Darien told his best friend about the events that had taken place yesterday when he had decided to wander over to the book store near his apartment.

"We talked a lot on the way back to her apartment. She's probably the most unique girl I've ever met." Taking a sip from the coffee that had turned cold, he continued "I wasn't brave enough to ask for her number, or ask if I could see her again, but we did promise we'd run into each other soon. And that, my good friend, is my pathetic little story." Rubbing a hand on his face, Darien let out a tiny little groan.

"Well, if anything, I'd say you made quite the impact on her. It's not every day Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome comes and saves her from the local creep in a book store. Give it time Dare, things will work out they way they have to."

Looking up at his blond haired friend, Darien only seemed somewhat convinced.

"And if that doesn't work?" Darien asked

Laughing, Andrew lightly slapped a hand on Darien's shoulder and looked at his friend in the eye.

"Trust me, Dare. It will. It will."

With that, Andrew turned to the new customers that had approached his counter and began to take their orders.

* * *

AN:

Yay or nay? Review!!

Those tiny little reviews of happiness is what motivates me. Really!


	6. Chapter 6

Coffee Shop

Chapter 6

Joyless Euphoria

* * *

"OH MY GOD!!!"

Pulling her eggshell colored phone from her ear, Serena winced a little at her friends screech.

"Hold on, hold on, the girls are here! Give me a second, don't you DARE hang up!"

Laughing lightly, Serena assured her friend she would do no such thing.

In the background she heard Mina ushering all the girls towards her phone, alerting them that Serena was on the other line.

"What? No way! She's actually calling us!?" Serena cringed a little at Raye's declaration… It _had_ been too long since she had spoken to all of them.

"I want to say hi first!"

"No, ME!"

"I'm her best friend, guys!"

"Mina, we're all her best friends. So… Shut up."

_Gosh, I miss you guys…_

"SPEAKER PHONE!"

"Hi Serena!"

"Girl, we miss you so much!"

"How's college??"

"Meet any cute boys?! Details! Details!"

"Mina! Let Serena speak, I'm sure she has much to tell us!"

"Oh Amy, you're SO boring…"

"Oh jeez, I've missed you guys…" Serena said.

"We've missed you too! How have you been?" Lita asked.

Serena went into full detail about all of the things that had happened since she had last talked to her group of friends. She felt as though she was talking for years, feeling as though she'd never be able to completely fill the girls in on her new life. She talked about her new town, the new cozy apartment she was staying in, and of course, the incident at the coffee shop.

Needless to say, the girls were hanging on her every word.

"…And then he walked me home and I haven't seen him since then." Serena trailed off.

"Oohhh, girl you got it bad." Mina piped in.

Serena blushed a bit at her comment. "Oh, Mina. I just met him. If I haven't seen him since then it was because it was just the other day! If anything, he's probably just being nice."

"Oh please, Serena. You wouldn't know flirting if it hit you in the face! Get to know him better, you dingdong. You never know!" Raye said into the phone.

"I guess you're right…" Serena said. "I just don't know if I'm ready to meet just _another_ _guy_ again, you know?"

"Oh Serena" Amy soothed "You'll be fine! We all learn from our past experiences and grow from them. I'm sure you'll be fine!"

"Thanks Amy" Serena smiled. Her friends were still as amazing as she remembered. Just as she opened her mouth to something, her phone began to beep, signaling a low battery.

"Aw poop…" Serena muttered under her breath. "Sorry guys, but it looks like we blabbed my phone to death. My battery is almost dead. I'll call you guys soon though, okay? I miss all of you very, very much!"

"Awww, okay Serena, but make sure to call us back! We want to hear more juicy details about this boy!"

"Yeah! And I'll make sure to email you some yummy recipes later. I know you must be starving over there!"

"And stop being so dumb, meatball brains! Go make out with that guy already!"

"Raye! That isn't lady-like at all! Serena, please make sure to catch up on your reading before school begins. You can't start class unprepared!"

The phone beeped again.

"I will, Amy." Serena assured, with a small smile on her lips. "I promise!"

"Bye Serena!" They all said into the phone.

"Bye guys!" And with that, Serena placed the cordless phone back on its small receiver that lived on her end table. The small click that it made as she put it down was the only sound that could be heard in the small apartment.

* * *

The following day, Serena decided to go back to the small coffee shop. The night before had been showered upon by an angry rainstorm and the town had become drenched. Before leaving her small, yet cozy, apartment, she grabbed her favorite blue pea coat that hung on a golden hook next to her front door and put it on. She wedged the big navy blue buttons into the wool of her double-breasted coat, grabbed her purse by the thick leather strap it was attached to, and with the sound of a click she locked her door and was on her way.

Her heels made a small splashing noise as she stepped in a small puddle on her walk down the street. The rain was still coming down, but it didn't bother the young blonde. _I love the rain…_ She thought to herself as she closed her eyes for a mere second, feeling the small drops hit her face. Her long golden locks were protected from the weather underneath the hood that was attached to her coat and only her delicate features were exposed to the rain. Studying her surroundings, she realized that the streets were mostly deserted. _I guess not everyone enjoys this weather as much as I do…_ She silently thought to herself. Rarely did she see someone else walking hurriedly past her, attempting to escape the droplets that fell from above. Taking these sorts of walks helped her clear her mind and relax. _I'm so happy I called the girls. It's nice to catch up with them after moving over here… I have to remember to check my email and print out the recipes that Lita promised to send me. I wonder if her and that one guy ever got together. I'll have to ask her that next time we speak. _Looking up at the sky, Serena noticed the dark clouds creeping over what was left of the exposed blue heavens. The rain began to fall harder, and Serena quickened her pace ever so slightly. _It's been so long since I've been out in the rain… Actually, I don't think I've been out in the rain since… _

Suddenly a memory flashed back into Serena's mind. Visions from her past filled her thoughts as she kept walking through the stormy afternoon attempting to ignore the memories that haunted her. The more she walked, the more she remembered, and the angrier she got. _God, I hate him…_ Trying desperately to think of something else, she failed miserably and was filled with regret of past events. Her brows began to furrow and a group of wrinkles appeared on her small forehead as her lips were pursed into a fine line. _I hate him sooo much! _Serena was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, her own fury, that she didn't even realize when the raindrops stopped falling upon her.

* * *

He had been reading the same page for about an hour and he had registered nothing. Not a single sentence, nor word.

"It is WAY too quiet in here." He said to himself. Grabbing his cell phone that had been lazily thrown on the couch next to him earlier that day, he pressed a random button and waited for the screen to light up. He fidgeted with it for a moment, silently hoping he had some sort of text message or missed call to keep him entertained for at least five minutes. Realizing he had nothing new on his phone, not that he really expected to have anything, he threw it back on the couch and went back to the book that he left on his lap.

"This is ridiculous." He said. "I'm probably the only person in this entire town that can't read when it's absolutely quiet." Running a hand through his hair, he remembered how all throughout his youth he had always suffered with that random quirk.

While all the other studious students in High School and first years of college went to the library in order to study in some peace and quiet, Darien found himself going to crowded parks or busy book stores in order to concentrated on his task at hand. This had always boggled his mind, seeing as though he was always an incredibly independent individual, who preferred to be by himself instead of with a big crowd. Instead of being somewhat sad and somber about moving away to college, like the rest of his classmates that graduated high school with him, he was actually looking forward to it, seeing as though he wouldn't know anyone and didn't have to deal with people he had known since grade school. Deciding that the world was filled with many idiots and that the people he had maintained a friendship with throughout the years were the only people he needed in his life, moving away was no big deal at all- neither was not knowing anyone in a new town. That all changed the day he had discovered the local coffee shop that resided a few blocks away from his apartment, which he had decided was the best place to study in. Thanks to that he had, somehow, become friends with the owner, Andrew.

_Andrew…_ He thought getting up. _I guess I can go pay him a visit, have some coffee and maybe get some reading done. And maybe… _Walking over to his bedroom, he felt a small smile tug his lips. Walking towards his closet, he slid open his closet doors and searched through his clothing for his favorite jacket. _Maybe I'll run into Serena._ Memories of her slender shape and long blonde hair flooded his mind.

Echoes of her giggle rang through his ears and the way her big blue eyes held so much life shone through his mind. It had been quite some time since Darien had been so incredibly infatuated with someone, especially after not knowing them for that long. Usually all the women he met were incredibly dull and lacked any type of personality. When he bumped into Serena, he was amazed when he could physically see the life in her eyes - the spark that let him know that she wasn't just another air headed blonde. It had become his silent mission to get to know her better, and after he was able to fend off the creep at the book store and walk her back to her apartment, he was even more determined to see her again.

After what seemed like eternity, he found his favorite black coat and put it on. Grabbing his book bag from his bed, he walked back to the living room and stuffed it with the book he had been reading earlier, his cell phone and reading glasses. He had recently acquired his spectacles, but was apprehensive about wearing them at first. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that he had secretly convinced himself that they made him look a bit more intellectual. Grabbing his car keys from the coffee table, he glanced outside his balcony doors. Watching the rain hit the glass, he decided to put the keys back down on the wooden surface. _Looks like a great day for a walk…_ Walking to his hall closet, he grabbed his black umbrella and walked out the door. After double checking that his door had locked correctly, he made his way down the hall. Suddenly in a better mood, his hopes high, he even greeted a neighbor or two. He almost ran back into his apartment though, when he saw Autumn walking towards him in the hall. Autumn was quite literally your typical girl next door. She had her eye on Darien ever since he had moved into the apartment a few doors down from her, and needless to say, the handsome young man had been utterly repulsed ever since. It wasn't that she wasn't attractive, per say. Autumn had something about her that made Darien generally uneasy. The blank look in her big brown eyes made him wince every time she attempted conversation with him. Realizing that retreating back to his apartment after obviously making eye contact with her would be incredibly rude, he decided to give up and attempt to get away by merely greeting her in the hall and going on with his business. He did after all, have somewhere to be.

Passing by her in the hall, he pretended to fidget with his cell phone in order to not make eye contact with her. He thought he was home free until he felt a small, yet playful, smack on his arm. Looking up, he looked up at his neighbor.

"Hey, silly!" Came her screechy greeting.

Hiding his cell phone into the pocket of his black slacks, he turned to the girl next to him.

"Hello, Autumn." Darien said politely and kept walking. Autumn walked next to him and attempted to force some sort of conversation out of him.

"What are you up to today, Darien? Where are you going? I hope you're not going out into the rain right now because it's, like, raining and you'll like… Get wet! I mean I know you have a _huge_ umbrella but… Oh god. That sounded terrible!" A blush crept up to her cheeks and Darien couldn't help but feel irritated. _How immature and ridiculous can you get? _

"Th-that's not what I ment! Oh jeez, that came out wrong. Um. I ment you had a huge umbrella for the rain! And…"

They had reached the end of the hallway and Darien looked over at the two sliding doors that would grant him his freedom.

"I happen to like the rain, actually. Walking in it is no bother for me at all."

"Oh… It's not? I hate it. I hate getting my hair wet, and then my sneakers get soggy and then…"

Darien was trying his hardest to ignore the poor girl. Walking over to the doors of the elevator, he pressed the round plastic button until it was consumed by it's bright red light, indicating that the elevator would soon be to his floor granting him the freedom that would take him away from his annoying, and oh so immature, neighbor.

"And then you get home and your jeans are soaked to the knee and –"

_Ding!_

"Sorry, Autumn, but the elevator is here. I need to go take care of a few things. Have a lovely afternoon."

His last words were barely even heard, for Darien had taken a mad dash into the elevator, leaving Autumn behind him staring in confusion. The last thing he saw was her blank brown eyes, before the big doors of the elevator slid shut.

_That was the stupidest encounter of my entire life._

Darien couldn't help but look at the umbrella in his hand and chuckle.

Once he had finally gotten out of his apartment building, he immediately noticed that the rain was starting to come down pretty hard. Opening up his umbrella, he began his journey towards the small coffee shop. That was when he saw her.

At first he thought it was his imagination, but after focusing his attention on the person walking only a block in front of him, he realized that it was indeed Serena.

She was walking in the rain as if she didn't have a care in the world. Her dark blue peacoat hung to her small frame, and her blue hood hid her golden locks from the harsh rain. His stomach flopped over for a split second, and a blush crept up to his cheeks. _Get a grip, Shields! Since when do you get butterflies?_ Ignoring his thoughts, he quickened his pace in hopes of catching up to the gorgeous blonde.

Just as he was a few feet behind her, he noticed she seemed rather troubled by something. The hand that was hanging by her side as she walked was suddenly clenched into a fist and her pattern of walking had changed. Hoping there was nothing wrong, he sped up his strides, caught up with her, and placed his umbrella between them shielding her from the rain. _Say something, you idiot! Don't' just stand here like a creep!_

"Hello, Serena." His voice had finally decided to cooperate with him. Unfortunately, it was as if the blonde didn't even hear him. _What on earth?_

"…Serena?" Still, nothing. By this time they had walked almost half a block together, Darien holding the umbrella over both him and the young woman, and yet it was as if he wasn't even there. Furrowing his eyebrows, he raised a hand and waved it in front of her.

She fluttered her lashes a few times and turned to face him, a look of surprise in her eyes.

"Darien?"

Darien stopped walking and turned to face her. Leaning his head down a tiny bit he looked her straight in the eyes. "Are you okay, Serena? You kinda spaced out for a bit."

Looking up at him, she couldn't help but notice how incredibly handsome he was. After his question, all that she could hear were the loud raindrops that were crashing down on his umbrella. _His umbrella._ Looking down at her shoes for a minute, as if trying to collect her thoughts, she looked back up to him. Their blue eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them said a word. His dark blue eyes looked down at her with concern.

"I'm fine." She said quietly. "Just lost in my thoughts, I suppose."

Straightening up, Darien looked down at her yet again. "Are you sure?"

Lifting her hand to her mouth, she looked at him with embarrassment. "I'm sure. Sorry, I was just… Thinking too much, I guess." She gave him a small smile.

He couldn't help but smile back. _She's so adorable. _

They began to walk again.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing out in this weather? I thought girls hated going out in the rain." Darien asked, looking down at her as they made their way down the puddled streets.

"Are you kidding? I absolutely love the rain. The cold weather is my favorite. I was actually heading down to the coffee shop… I could use a blended drink right about now." She said.

"No way. You actually have those things on cold days?" He asked, a hint of shock in his voice.

"Of course! I love cold treats when it's cold out. It makes them even better. What about you? What brings you out here?"

"Well. I was actually heading the same way. I was bored in my apartment and quite frankly, I couldn't get any reading done. I thought I'd go pay Andrew a visit and then I ran into you." His lips held a small smile as he finished his sentence.

"Well, then. Let's go! We're almost there." Smiling up at him again, the two continued their walk towards the small coffee shop.

The rain clouds began to creep closer and closer towards the small town, promising a night of thunder and lighting to all of those who resided in it.

* * *

AN: Here it is, months later, chapter six. Please review, it's the only thing that keeps me motivated. Have any ideas as to where this story should go? Please don't hesitate to share 


	7. Chapter 7

Coffee Shop

Chapter 7

Joyless Euphoria

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The rain kept falling violently on the small town, but the couple walking on the sidewalk couldn't care less. They were both so wrapped up in their conversation, that they mentally cursed the coffee shop when they finally reached it.

"Well, looks like we're here…" Darien said to Serena. Looking down at her, he was once again mesmerized by her beauty,

Moving her hood ever so slightly , she looked over at the door of the coffee shop, and then at the tall handsome man besides her.

"Yeah… But it looks like we're the only ones." She replied.

The sound of the heavy drops of rain falling on the umbrella above the two was all that could be heard while Darien took in that information.

"What?" was all the managed to say.

Looking over at the front doors of Andrew's coffee shop, Darien noticed the 'Sorry, We're Closed' sign that Andrew had made a while ago for the store when he was too lazy to go out and buy one.

"Well, crap." Was all that Darien managed to blurt out.

"Yeah, I guess we'll just have to go somewhe-"

Serena's sentence was cut short by the small shriek she let out just as lightning filled up the sky and a loud boom of thunder was heard. Without realizing what she was doing, she flung herself towards Darien and ended up somewhat cuddled up on him. Upon impact, Darien's umbrella fell out of his hand and landed with a small splash on the sidewalk. Looking down at the trembling girl, he wrapped his arms tightly around her. _Drew, I owe you one…_

"Are you okay, Serena?" he asked with concern for the second time that day.

_This is so embarrassing. I can't believe I pretty much jumped on him! _

Keeping her eyes clamped shut and her small frame super glued to Darien, she managed to chirp out a 'I'm fine' to him.

It wasn't until she heard him chuckle a little that she finally looked up at him.

"What's so funny?"

"I thought you said you loved the rain! The cold is your favorite, remember?"

"The rain, yes! But the torturous and evil thunder and lightning? I absolutely hate it!"

As if to mock her, the skies lit up once again and another roar of thunder was heard. Clutching on to him tighter, Serena hid her face into his jacket.

Darien couldn't help but smile. _She's so adorable… But we can't stay in the rain forever! What if she gets cold? Or catches a cold? _

Letting go of a shaky Serena, he bent down and retrieved his umbrella and once again covered them both with it. _Not that this will do much good… We're pretty much drenched._

"Serena?" _I hope she doesn't freak out…_

"Y-yes, Darien?" Her voice was noticeably shaky, and he didn't know if it was because of the cold weather or the thunder. _Probably both…_

"How about we go back to my place? It's a lot closer to your building and that way we could dry off, maybe have some hot cocoa and once the storm clears up I can give you a ride home. Yeah?"

Looking up at him, she felt doubtful for a second. _To go, or not to go… My apartment IS kinda far away… and the thunder is terrible. Besides, I'm soaked… He's proven to be a gentleman so far. _

Looking up into his deep blue eyes, she felt safe and for some odd reason, trusted him.

_Oh, why not._

"Sounds like a plan to me. Anything to get me away from this evil thunder!"

"You got it. Come on, we're only two blocks away."

And with that, the couple retraced their steps and headed towards Darien's apartment.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Once they reached the building, Darien went ahead of Serena to open her door. Looking up in surprised at Darien, she couldn't help but slightly blush. Smiling, she thanked him and walked inside. _How cute of him… It's not every day guys do that for you anymore. _Once they were both inside, Darien held his black colored umbrella by the wooden handle, closed it, and greeted the man at the front desk. He was a tall man, with a receding hairline and a big pudgie stomach. He was dressed in a nice black suit and stood behind a tall berdeux colored desk. He wore small, gold rimmed glasses and looked down at them from his pointed nose. "Good Afternoon, Mr. Shields. Or shall I say, bad? Quite unfortunate weather we're having, isn't' it?" Brushing away the wet black locks that clung to his forhead, Darien looked over at Serena and then looked back at the tall man. "Actually… " He said, slowly. "We're both really enjoying it." Lightly placing his hand on the small of Serena's back, he guided her over to the elevator doors. "He looks kind of snooty" Serena whispered over to Darien before entering the elevator doors. "That's because he kind of is…" he whispered back.

The elevator doors opened for them and they stepped in. As soon as the doors closed, both of them erupted with laughter. Making a monocle out of her fingers, Serena stood in front of Darien and in her most snobbish voice, began to mimic the man at the front desk. "Quiiiite unfortunate weather, isn't it?"

Covering her mouth with a delicate hand, Serena burst into a fit of giggled. Darien looked at her and smiled, for what seemed to be the billionth time that afternoon.

_Cute and funny… what more could I want?_ He looked up at her, and for the longest second either of them had experienced, the locked eyes. Serena could feel her cheeks turning a light shade of pink, but before she could turn into a ripe tomato, the elevator came to a stop and filled the small room with a soft 'ding' sound.

"We're here." Darien stated, never breaking eye contact.

Once the big heavy doors opened, Darien waited for Serena to step out first. Once they were both out of the elevator, they began walking down the long hallway.

"I'm just at the end of the hall" Darien said to Serena, who kept observing her surroundings.

"This is a pretty nice building Darien, have you been here long?"

"Ever since I moved here after high school, actually. So about… Two years? Almost three? It's been nice."

"Seems like it."

Walking a few more steps, they finally reached Darien's apartment. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved his keys and opened his door. "After you, miss" he said with a charming smile that came naturally to him whenever Serena was around.

"Why, thank you, kind sir" Serena replied, walking in front of him into hisdark living room. Darien followed closely behind her, and flipped on the light switch that illuminated his living room. Once the lights went on, Serena couldn't help but admire his apartment.

His entire living room was spotless and exuded an air of sophistication. The walls were painted a charcoal gray, and his furniture was all black. His living room was incredibly spacious, and right in front of his seating area were the two big glass doors that led to the balcony. The balcony itself had an awesome view that looked over the entire city, which was currently covered with dark clouds. The soft pitter patter of the raindrops splashing on the glass was all that could be heard in the once empty apartment.

_Wow… His apartment is really nice. Makes me want to tidy up my place a little bit…_

Before Serena could think about anything else, a small sneeze escaped her.

Bringing both hands to her face, Serena looked over at Darien. "Bleh, excuse me!"

"Let's get that coat off of you, Serena. It's soaking wet! I'd hate it if you got sick." Placing his hands on her shoulders, Serena did as he said and began to unbutton her coat. Once it was unbuttoned, Darien slipped it off of her and hung it on the metal coat rack that stood near his doorway. Turning back towards her, he couldn't help but notice how gorgeous she looked in the dark blue sweater dress she was wearing. It was somewhat short, but the black leggings and boots she was wearing added extra warmth. The dress itself was somewhat low cut, but she wore a lacy white top underneath it to stop it from being too scandalous. Besides that, the dress seemed to hug her in all the right places.

Hearing her sneeze again, brought Darien back to his senses.

"Let me get you a blanket, Serena. I don't want you to catch a cold." he said, while he placed his belongings on his coffee table. "Make yourself at home while I go and find you one, okay?"

"Okie dokie, Darien. Thank you." Serena replied.

Sitting down, she noticed how incredibly comfortable and plushy his couch was. _This thing is better than my bed! I can't believe I'm actually in his apartment… Usually I'd say no to such an offer, but he's proven to be such a sweet guy. I just hope he's not another disappointment… _

Crossing her legs, she placed her hands on her lap and waited patiently for Darien to return.

Meanwhile, Darien was rummaging around his closet in attempts of finding a blanket for the cold girl in his living room. _I need to clean out this closet, there's so much junk in here. I can't even remember the last time I used that backpack. And that tennis racket? Who plays tennis?! It must be Andrews… Does he play tennis? I guess I'll ask him. He'll probably think I'm really weird if he doesn't play… Oh, here are the extra blankets. Under my beach towels… I never even go to the beach!_

Grumbling, he pulled out the blanket from underneath the endless unwanted items in his closet. Before they could all fall out, he slammed his door closed, locking his forgotten belongings in there forever. _That wasn't loud…_ Returning to his living room, he saw Serena sitting incredibly lady like on his couch.

"Here you go, I hope it keeps you warm." He said, placing the blanket over her lap.

Looking up at him, Serena thanked him for the blanket and began to wrap it around her shoulders.

Darien walked away from the blonde girl long enough to run into the kitchen and make the worlds fastest hot cocoa… Ever.


End file.
